Reds’ back-to-back homers doom Nats

Cincinnati rises with two out in ninth

Will Benson and Christian Encarnacion-Strand hit backto-back home runs with two outs in the ninth inning, lifting the Cincinnati Reds to a series-clinching 6-5 home win over the Washington Nationals on Sunday.

Cincinnati trailed 5-3 when Jonathan India hit a two-out double off Kyle Finnegan (0-1). Benson drove a first-pitch splitter to straightaway center to tie the score. Encarnacion-Strand swung over a low splitter, then drove a high splitter 387 feet into the left-field seats for his first hit in 13 at-bats this season, and the Reds streamed out of their dugout to celebrate.

Lucas Sims (1-0) retired three straight batters in the ninth.

Trey Lipscomb, in his second MLB game, hit his first homer in the seventh inning for the Nationals.

CJ Abrams hit a solo homer in the third inning and added an eighth-inning sacrifice fly, and Lane Thomas had a two-run single in the fifth.

Nationals starter Jake Irvin allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings.

Angels 4, Orioles 1: Reid Detmers gave his team an effective start, allowing one run in five innings to help Los Angeles avoid a season-opening sweep in Baltimore.

The Angels were outscored 24-7 in their first two games against Baltimore, which prompted a team meeting after Saturday’s 13-4 loss.

Then Detmers took the mound and quieted the Orioles, and Los Angeles scored two runs in each of the first two innings. Taylor Ward hit a two-run homer to open the scoring, and although Tyler Wells made it through six

innings — and did not allow a baserunner after the second — the damage was done.

“That starting job that he gave us, we needed it very, very badly,” said manager Ron Washington, who was hired by the Angels in November. “And he gave it to us.”

Gunnar Henderson drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs in the bottom of the second, but Detmers got Adley Rutschman to ground into a forceout.

Henderson came up with two on and one out in the seventh against reliever José Soriano, but he hit a routine grounder and Rutschman lined out to left.

AARON DOSTER/AP The Reds’ Christian Encarnacion-Strand is doused by teammates after hitting a game-winning home run during the ninth inning Sunday against the Nationals in Cincinnati.

STEVE RUARK/AP Angels shortstop Zach Neto, right, throws to first base after forcing out the Orioles’ Tony Kemp at second base during the seventh inning of Sunday’s game in Baltimore. The Angels did not turn the double play.